My dad is what you'd call a Mac freak. His first computer back in 1994-95 was a Macintosh Performa 460. I remember as a boy, when he came home with this flat machine, our very first computer that was going to revolutionize our home. It wasn't only a computer but a sacred relic. When we started up the test software to "learn" how to use the mouse with one button, we were all very amazed. Animated graphics, blinking menus, office programs and other fancy features made it near to holy. No one was allowed to hit the "safe backup" button or enter the mysterious hard drive root. Only PCs would let you do that sort of careless stuff, my dad said with a religious sanctity.

As I grew older and got to test out early versions of Microsoft Windows 95 on my friend's PC, I started to become critical of the holy machine at home. The 33 MHz Mac didn't just seem to be significantly slower, it lacked the fun of modifying hardware and software to meet personal needs. I became acquainted with the PC and learned that it was much like life; if you wanted a blast, you first had to learn to configure it and create the desired output of choice. With Mac, you couldn't do much more than getting used to the default features. If you wanted to make it faster or replace a faulty part, you had to take it to the Apple Store, which was so expensive and time consuming on fixing things, that it in many cases was even preferable to simply buy a new computer. If you wanted better software, you had to begin saving again, because Mac software wasn't cheap. Despite that the Mac never really intrigued the rest of the family, my dad always insisted on it mysteriously being superior in every way.

"Mac-people," as they're often referred to, seem to consist of individuals who are not really technical when it comes to computers. They hear the PC-commercials on TV where they repeat a lot of advanced terms - DDR, MHz, PCI, USB, VGA - and freak out. Suddenly an Apple pops up on the screen and Justin Long from the TV-series Ed, dressed in an indie-look-a-like laid-back style, starts to talk about how cool Macs are, while the office-dressed John Hodgman from This American Life displays how neurotic and corporate-dry PCs are. We're supposed to laugh at the virus attacks, bloated features and failing software of the PC and turn our eyes toward the hip, cool and easygoing Mac. Why? "It just works."

The argument is what Apple has been marketing with for years: choosing Mac is choosing a lifestyle. You "think differently." This appeals by default to people who're not really aware of hardware or software basics. When you need a computer and don't know which one to choose, you feel good about picking something that seems simple, easy and trendy. If you're told that you automatically made the smart choice and chose something "unique," that is a double-gratification to your ego. Thus Macs have a tendency to appeal by external reasons, since the computer is no longer a working machine but a catchy accessoar for those who are "different."

Despite that Macs today use traditional hardware such as Intel processors and ATI Radeon graphics cards, you still need to cash out more for a specially designed Mac, than to simply order home a PC-equivalent for the fraction of that cost. Smart people build their own computer for an even cheaper price and optimal customization. The talk about superior stability in Apple products is no longer a fashion discussion ^{1 2 3}; even the Mac users themselves are now starting to boycott the company. The distinction between the corporate PC and the "artistic" Mac is beginning to fade out.

Despite this fact, people love to create religious camps. The Mac users insist on pulling superficial arguments in order to disguise the obvious truth - that they're buying overpriced hardware in a slick lifestyle-defined case - while PC users have a hard time admitting that Windows is slowly turning into a seriously bloated operative system, that security-wise resembles something you'd expect would pop up along the lines of Orwell's 1984. At this point any sane person with a medium knowledge of computers, would rather read up on a 10 min instruction manual, order home the hardware they need, and then put the things together on their own. Most likely you'd install something like an old copy of Windows XP Professional or DesktopBSD, avoiding the corporate disasters of Mac OS X and Windows Vista.

More than 10 years later since Macintosh Performa 460 and both me and my dad are sitting on a custom built PC. The holy Mac has been reduced to nostalgia. Although it's safe to say that it takes some time before you discover what's quality hardware and what's not, a customized PC combined with Windows XP or a BSD installation is in all aspects superior to spending money on pre-assembled Dells or over marketed iMacs. Most companies today even let you choose your own hardware, if you feel you're safer off with a guarantee. When it comes down to it, only neurotic people view technology as an extension of their personality. Apple is effectively a corporate company fulfilling that vision and those who are foolish (read: iMad) enough to buy into their campaign, demonstrate the modern dysfunction of our time.